The effect of the combination of specific resistance training and common training on front crawl swimming performance and stroke parameters in adolescent male swimmers

Specific resistance training is more efficient. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of the combination of specific resistance training and common training on front crawl swimming performance and stroke parameters in adolescent male swimmers.

Seventeen adolescent male swimmers at regional and national level (age 13/15 ± 2/77 years, training background 2¤34 ±0/44years) were divided into two groups of combination of specific resistance plus common training (n=8) and common training (n=9). Pre-test and post-test consisted of crawl swim record of 25&100 m distance, stroke parameters (stroke rate and stroke length) in 100m testing, the maximum propulsive force and handgrip strength test. After warm up, the combination of specific resistance plus common training group performed 8×25m front crawl swimming with sled towing at the maximum speed but the control group performed the task without sled towing. After this phase, the training of the two groups was the same. The training protocol lasted four weeks. Multivariate analysis of covariance was used to analyze the between- group differences.

The findings showed significant increase in 100 m performance, stroke rate in 5-20 m and 80-95 m, and significant decrease in stroke length 80-95 m in the experimental group compared to the control group (p ≤ 0.05) . No significant difference was observed for the other factors (p ≥ 0.05).

The combination of specific resistance training plus common training can enhance performance during long distances and the enhancement is accompanied by variables such as increase stroke rate and decrease stroke length in the final distances.